Lalu Prasad

New Delhi, March 11: Railway minister Lalu Prasad today tried to make up with the Bengal communists whom his please-all budget had failed to appease.

Winding up the discussion on the railway budget in the Lok Sabha, the minister said the long-awaited Calcutta-Dhaka Maitreyee Express would start on April 14 — Bengali New Year’s Day.

The train, which will have two AC and two non-AC coaches, is likely to run on Saturdays and Sundays. According to a proposal, the tickets will be priced at Rs 320 and Rs 480.

The non-stop journey from Chitpur to Dhaka Cantonment will take around 11 hours, out of which travelling time will be eight hours. Customs and immigration clearance will take up the rest.

Lalu Prasad also announced that the proposed Hazarduari Express between Calcutta and Murshidabad would run four days a week instead of once. CPM member Basudev Acharya asked for it to be made a daily, and Lalu Prasad agreed, prompting cheers from Bengal MPs.

The Howrah-Puri Garib Rath will run twice a week, instead of once, and the Calcutta-Haldibari Superfast will replace the Sealdah-New Jalpaiguri Express.

The minister promised 12-coach EMU trains in place of nine-coach trains for Calcutta suburban services.

Lalu Prasad said the Centre would consult the state on developing a coach and freight terminal in Calcutta.

The CPM members appeared happy.

But it wasn’t only his allies that Lalu Prasad played Santa to. When BJP members from Gujarat complained of discrimination, he shot back: “Ahmedabad will be made a world class station.” Then he looked at L.K. Advani and said: “Respecting the Leader of Opposition, I want to announce a Garib Rath between Gandhinagar and Delhi.”

What about Azamgarh, a BSP member shouted. “It will be turned into a model station,” the minister replied.

Then it was time to pat himself on the back. He would leave a surplus of about Rs 100,000 crore when he demits office, Lalu Prasad said. “But we are not going home, we will come back after the election.”